YHWH

Be Holy

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“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44-45 (KJV)

God has spoken these words; Moses wrote them down, and they are holy words. These words remind us that God is holy, and that because He is holy His people ought also be holy.

In the previous verses it has been written what Israel can and cannot eat and be holy. Eating seems to be such a trivial part of living; however, it matters to GOD. I have no understanding as to why any of these animals are clean or unclean. I do not know that any of the children of Israel understood either, but it was imperative that the people believe GOD, and obey Him. They were not called to understand, but to believe GOD, and obey.

The fact, the truth that GOD is holy is one way of saying that there is no other God. Yet the word “God” is ‘Elohiym” and is a plural for God. Any time we see this is Scripture it is speaking of the plurality of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father is holy. The Son is Holy. The Spirit is Holy. Those who claim to know Him are to be holy.

Just what is holiness. It means to be uniquely distinct from all others. The child of God; the Christian is to live a life different than the people around us. Out talk should magnify Christ Jesus. Our walk – where we go, how we dress, the things we eat, the things we drink, the music we listen to, the movies we watch should be measured by Jesus and not whether the world is doing it.

In the New Testament the Christian is commanded to be holy (1 Peter 1:15, 16).

Fire From God

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“And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.” Leviticus 9:24 (KJV)

In the worship of God fire is an important element. It must, however, be the LORD’S fire, not our own. That is clearly seen in the first three verses of Leviticus 10 when the sons of Aaron; Nadab and Abihu bring “Strange fire” before the LORD.

With the fire of God sin is dealt with, God is worshipped, and He is glorified. With “Strange fire” the flesh is magnified, and God is seen as a man of entertainment to make us feel good. May we worship Him with the fire of GOD into His presence. We must remember worshipping God is about Him; not about me, not about us; but about holy GOD.

Praising GOD

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“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power.” Psalm 150:1 (KJV)

One thing a Christian can learn from reading the Psalms, and especially those that express “Praise ye the LORD”; is that we are to “Praise the LORD”.

It does not matter the time, the place, life’s situation or circumstances; the child of God is to praise the LORD.  Why?  Because He is worthy.  That is reason enough.

Let me have Charles H. Spurgeon give you his words concerning Psalm 150:1;

“Praise ye the Lord.” Hallelujah! The exhortation is to all things in earth or in heaven. Should they not all declare the glory of him for whose glory they are, and were created? Jehovah, the one God, should be the one object of adoration. To give the least particle of his honour to another is shameful treason; to refuse to render it to him is heartless robbery. “Praise God in his sanctuary.” Praise El, or the strong one, in his holy place. See how power is mentioned with holiness in this change of names. Praise begins at home. “In God’s own house pronounce his praise.” The holy place should be filled with praise, even as of old the high-priest filled the sanctum sanctorum with the smoke of sweet-smelling incense. In his church below and in his courts above hallelujahs should be continually presented. In the person of Jesus God finds a holy dwelling or sanctuary, and there he is greatly to be praised. He may also be said to dwell in holiness, for all his ways are right and good; for this we ought to extol him with heart and with voice. Whenever we assemble for holy purposes our main work should be to present praises unto the Lord our God. “Praise him in the firmament of his power.” It is a blessed thing that in our God holiness and power are united. Power without righteousness would be oppression, and righteousness without power would be too weak for usefulness; but put the two together in an infinite degree and we have God. What an expanse we have in the boundless firmament of divine power! Let it all be filled with praise. Let the heavens, so great and strong, echo with the praise of the thrice holy Jehovah, while the sanctuaries of earth magnify the Almighty One.
from the TREASURY OF DAVID, e-Sword edition

We ought always Praise the LORD; for He is worthy of praise, worship, and adoration.

Sing a New Song

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“Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.” Psalm 149:1 (KJV)

Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord is one of the evidences of the filling of the Holy Spirit in a Believer’s life (Ephesians 5:18-21 note v. 19).

There are a few references to a “New song” in Scripture.  They are Psalm 33:3;  40:3;  96:1;  98:1;  144:9;  149:1 (the above verse);  Isaiah 42:10;  Revelation 5:9; and 14:3.

Hallelujah.  Praise the LORD.  Those who trust Him and know Him have a new song to sing.  Let us sing it when we are alone with Him.  Let us sing it when we are meeting together a congregations of Believers.

Sing unto the LORD a new song.  Sing, sing, sing.

Where?

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“Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.” Psalm 148:1 (KJV)

Does a place make a difference?  Where is your heart?  Is it on the LORD?  We ought always be praising the LORD.

Maybe the best question would be, “Where is your treasure?”  Jesus said,

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matthew 6:21

The place to begin praising Him is in your heart by making Him your treasure.  When He is your treasure you will look up to the stars, and see the handiwork of this marvelous Creator, and praise Him.

Then, when you are on the highest peaks, or looking toward the highest peaks you will praise the LORD; for He is the Creator of them all.

Hallelujah.

Good to Sing Praises

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“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” Psalm 147:1 (KJV)

The Psalms are filled with praises to the LORD.  He is worthy.  “Praise ye the LORD” is expressed in Hebrew by the word “Hallelujah”.  You know it.  Go ahead and use it.

The Psalms of Scripture.  The old hymns we sing in worship at our church services are great expressions of praise to Him.

Singing praises to the LORD [Jehovah] are delightful, and glorious to the heart, soul and mind.  They are also glorifying to the Lord.

Spurgeon has written of this:

“Where duty and delight, benefit and beauty unite, we ought not to be backward. Let each reader feel that he and his family ought to constitute a choir for the daily celebration of the praises of the Lord.”

It is a wonderful thing for the family to worship God together at home, and in the place of  joint worship with others.

While I Live

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“Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.” Psalm 146:1-2 (KJV)

What are we to do while we live?  We are to accumulate cars, homes, family, friends, fame, fortune, knowledge, wisdom, and whatever else may come to mind.  No!

What are we to do while we live?  None of those things mentioned in that first paragraph are bad; yet by themselves they do no meet our basic need.  What are we to do while we live?  Praise the LORD.

We praise the LORD by hearing His word, and doing it.  We praise the LORD by believing the Son of God, God the Son.  We praise the LORD by speaking His name when it may not be popular to do so.

What will I do while I live?  I will praise the LORD.

One day everything that has breath will praise the LORD.

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11

In that He will be  praised.

The LORD My Strength, My Goodness, My Fortress….

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“Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.” Psalm 144:1-2 (KJV)

David truly trusted the LORD his God.  He believed Him.  He then relied on Him for his strength, His goodness.  He trusted the LORD for protection, and keeping.  The LORD gave David sight for what was coming; and He delivered David when he needed deliverance.

The LORD was a shield for David when on the battlefield.  David realized that even the people’s submission to him as their king was a work of GOD.

O LORD my God and Father give me the heart of David.  Even better LORD may my heart grow more into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, the Son of David.

Righteous and Faithful

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“Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Psalm 143:1-2 (KJV)

There is no question in David’s mind about the faithfulness of God, or His righteousness.  He also knows himself well enough without assuming that in the sight of God no man living can be justified.

What is justification? Someone once explained it “being made just-as-if-I’d never sinned”.  I have always remembered that.  How can a man or woman be justified in the eyes of God?  There is no  hope for us within ourselves.  It must come by a declaration of God Himself.

First our sin debt must be paid for.  That is the reason for the cross of Jesus. Jesus the spotless, Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  He had no sin; but became our sin.  By His death the sin was paid in full.

Second one must repent of sin, believe that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is sufficient to deliver us from sin and death.

Then, God Himself declares you “Righteous” “Just” in His sight.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”  Romans 5:1

When you believe in Jesus, and His finished work on the cross you are justified by God.  The Rich became poor; the the poor might become rich in Him.

O, will you believe Him today?

When… In The Cave

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“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before Him; I shewed before Him my trouble.” Psalm 142:1-2 (KJV)

Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.  That is the title most Bibles place over this Psalm.  This would be the cave David hid from king Saul in, and cut off his “skirt”, and his men sought to kill Saul, but David prevented them (1 Samuel 24:1-8).

Caves are dark.  If you have no light, and are back far enough in them  you cannot see your hand in front of your face; and that is not just a cliche’.  It is a cool, damp place as well.  It would be a comfortable place to go during a heat wave.  For David, however, it was a place of hiding.

Was David afraid of king Saul?  I do not think so.  He was afraid that if he was around him too much, that he might have to kill him; and that he did not desire to do.  Saul was God’s anointed king, and David would not lift a hand against him.

Like David we must trust the LORD to hear our voice in our darkest moments.  When we are in the caves of despair, or fear, that is the time to bring our complaint to Him.  One thing I have noticed as a Christian is that, when I take my complaints, my heart aches, my hardships to the Lord, then no one else will hear about them.  If they do it is more in how God worked to resolve them.  Giving God the glory.

The Incense of Prayer

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“LORD, I cry unto Thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee. Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:1-2 (KJV)

Within the tabernacle in the wilderness, and the temple of Solomon just outside the veil of the temple which separated the table of shewbread, the menorah, from the ark of the covenant there also stood the altar of incense; made of gold.  It offers us a picture of prayer and approaching the GOD of glory, coming into His presence.

I will let Matthew Henry comment on these verses today, and pray they are a blessing to you.

David loved prayer, and he begs of God that his prayers might be heard and answered, Psa_141:1, Psa_141:2. David cried unto God. His crying denotes fervency in prayer; he prayed as one in earnest. His crying to God denotes faith and fixedness in prayer. And what did he desire as the success of his prayer? 1. That God would take cognizance of it: “Give ear to my voice; let me have a gracious audience.” Those that cry in prayer may hope to be heard in prayer, not for their loudness, but their liveliness. 2. That he would visit him upon it: Make haste unto me. Those that know how to value God’s gracious presence will be importunate for it and humbly impatient of delays. He that believes does not make haste, but he that prays may be earnest with God to make haste. 3. That he would be well pleased with him in it, well pleased with his praying and the lifting up of his hands in prayer, which denotes both the elevation and enlargement of his desire and the out-goings of his hope and expectation, the lifting up of the hand signifying the lifting up of the heart, and being used instead of lifting up the sacrifices which were heaved and waved before the Lord. Prayer is a spiritual sacrifice; it is the offering up of the soul, and its best affections, to God. Now he prays that this may be set forth and directed before God as the incense which was daily burnt upon the golden altar, and as the evening sacrifice, which he mentions rather than the morning sacrifice, perhaps because this was an evening prayer, or with an eye to Christ, who, in the evening of the world and in the evening of the day, was to offer up himself a sacrifice of atonement, and establish the spiritual sacrifices of acknowledgement, having abolished all the carnal ordinances of the law. Those that pray in faith may expect it will please God better than an ox or bullock. David was now banished from God’s court, and could not attend the sacrifice and incense, and therefore begs that his prayer might be instead of them. Note, Prayer is of a sweet-smelling savour to God, as incense, which yet has no savour without fire; nor has prayer without the fire of holy love and fervour.

from Matthew Henry Commentary e-Sword edition

Now the veil has been taken away by the cross, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  You have access to the very throne of God through Christ Jesus.  Our prayers are still as sweet incense unto the Father in heaven (Revelation 8:4).

Deliver Us From Evil

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“Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.” Psalm 140:1-2 (KJV)

There is evil all around us. It would not at all be difficult to name evil.  I think I have defined “evil” before here, and I will do it again.  Evil is what God says is evil; not what man calls evil.  Men and women today call evil what God says is good; and call good what God says is evil (Isaiah 5:20).

Deliver us from evil is what Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:13.  There are evil people  who seek to destroy all that is good, godly, righteous, and holy.  They seek to destroy you and me who follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many who care nothing for the life of another.  Whether it is the unborn in the womb of the mother; or the elderly individual in a nursing home; their lives, to the unloving, the uncaring, the hateful, evil men and women are worthless, and of no further benefit to society.

As Christians we can confront the evil by doing right, doing good anyway. “Overcome evil with good”, said the apostle Paul (Romans 12:21).

The greatest deliverance from evil was the day Jesus became my sins and yours.  He bore our sins, died for us on the cross, was buried, and bodily arose from that grave.  Victory over sin, death, and evil.  It is ours through faith in Him.

Searched and Known

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“O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.” Psalm 139:1 (KJV)

Sometimes it is sad to realize that we are living in a world where we can be seen by people, particularly governments or government bureaus wherever we are and in whatever we do.  There are cameras at many traffic lights, that can see us as we go through intersections.  There are cameras at more and more corners on the streets.  There are satellites that can zoom in on us and see our license plates on our automobiles.

In some ways that troubles me.  In other ways it does not.  I have been watched all my life; and even before I was born, and yet in my mothers womb, I was seen and known.  So it is with each of us.

The LORD has had His eye on us from conception, and keeps them there to the grave.  He searches, He examines every motive, every action that we make, and He knows our hearts, and why we do what we do.  He is Omniscient or All-Knowing, and He knows you, even better than you know yourself.

There is nothing about you or myself that is a secret to Him.  Nothing about our lives surprises GOD.

He knows your need for Him; for salvation from your sin and its condemnation.  He has provided that through sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins, He was buried, and He rose bodily from the grave.  One day He is returning.  Be ready for that by trusting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour today.

Hallelujah

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“Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise Him, O ye servants of the LORD.” Psalm 135:1 (KJV)

The servant of GOD.  The child of GOD.  The people of GOD.  These are the ones who are to “Praise the LORD”.

Those who are of the Lord Jesus Christ are to Praise Him.  Brag of Him.  Lift up His name.  Glorify Him in His power, His honor, His glory.  There is nothing which we know of God which we should remain silent about.

He loves you.  He loves me.  Let us not be ashamed of that grace, that mercy, that love that comes solely from the GOD who created all things.

Hallelujah simply means “Praise the LORD.”  So, let us Praise the LORD.

Praise Him in Song. Praise Him in prayer.  Praise Him in word; with tongue, lips and mouth.  Praise Him with your life.

Blessing the LORD

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“Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.” Psalm 134:1-3 (KJV)

Look, see that the people of GOD are to bless the LORD.  The servants of GOD, the people of GOD are to be blessing the LORD.

This decree is to those who keep watch for the house of GOD in the night watches.  It is also true of the day watchers to bless the LORD.

We bless the LORD with our lips, our tongues, our mouth; but we also bless Him with our lives.  A life that is not lived holy wholly unto the LORD will not bless the LORD.

When we bless the LORD we will be blessed by the LORD.

There is no blessing the LORD – ie. praising, building up, bragging about; except through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus God’s Son.  Bless the LORD today by believing Jesus and trusting Him for salvation from sin’s condemnation.

A Place for the LORD

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“LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions: How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the Mighty God of Jacob; Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob. Psalm 132:1-5 (KJV)

David’s heart; even when he was facing affliction, and peril from the hands of king Saul; was to have a place for the LORD  to dwell.  A place in which to place the ark of the covenant which represented the presence of GOD.

The term “Mighty One of Jacob” is last used in Genesis 49:24, and is used twice in these verses.

A lessen of encouragement here: May we as Christians endeavor that the place of God’s abiding be within our hearts.  The Ark of God is no longer the ark of the covenant, but the person of the Christ, the Messiah of Israel; and Saviour of the world.

He has always desired to dwell in the  hearts of His people.  Your heart, my heart; our lives are the place He longs to dwell.

We make His presence, His power, and His glory known by letting Him shine forth from our lives as we go about living in this dark, desperate, dying, world; where its only light is the glory of Jesus Christ.

Things Too High

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“LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” Psalm 131:1 (KJV)

Pride, and/or arrogance, haughtiness is found in far too many of us.  There is no room for it in the heart and life of a child of God.

Sadly it is found in the religious, and the faithful alike.  We can pride ourselves on the knowledge we have of God’s word, Christian history, or even preaching and teaching abilities.  When it comes to God the greatest thing is to know God, and to be known by Him.

For any of us to think we can know all about God is prideful, and just plain foolish.  The Christian desires to know God better than we do; however, we cannot foolishly think we could ever know all that there is to know about Him.

The greatest matter is to dwell in our relationship with Him through His Son Jesus; and to know that it is by His grace He saves us (Ephesians 2:8-10); and it is by His grace that He fills us with His Spirit that we may walk with Him, and glorify His name.

When we are walking, living in the Spirit we will not exercise in things too high for ourselves.

In the Depths

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“Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O LORD.” Psalm 130:1 (KJV)

The Psalmist is making it clean in whom he places his trust; and it is in the LORD [Jehovah; YHWH].

It is when we are in the dark despair of the dungeon that our faith shines.  “Out of the depths” he cried unto the LORD.  In our dark depths we cry unto Him, because He is always where we have turned before.

The apostle Paul taught us, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17); and that means even in “the depths” and despairs, discouragements, and darkness of our lives.

When you are trusting Him in the light; you will trust Him in the dark.  When you are praying, trusting Him when things are good; you will pray and trust Him when things are bad as well.

Begin this type of life by trusting God’s only way of salvation; and that is through God’s Son, Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and bodily arose from the grave and still lives today.  Call upon Him today.

Happy Walking

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“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in His ways.” Psalm 128:1 (KJV)

I have written previously of “Happiness”.  If you desire to read more you may follow to happiness.

The word “Blessed” is happiness. Note, however, that this type of happiness is eternally linked to the fear of the LORD, and walking in His ways.

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, and are believing that you can live your life free of responsibility from your sins, then, you better take another look.  Your sin will not just hurt you.  It will hurt your family, your friends, your work associates, etc.

The redeemed of the LORD, are those who are free from sins bondage, free from its condemnation, but we are not free to sin at will without suffering for it.

To fear God means we do not want to displease Him; but to please Him.  Christian choose today to walk in His ways; His word, His will, and glorify Him.

That is Happy Walking.

Building the House

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“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1 (KJV)

You are a house.  You house a spirit; your spirit from which you get drive, ambition, dreams, and even successes and failures.  That spirit is dead to God though.

We can spend our lives doing “good” things.  We can feed the hungry, clothe the poor, provide them shelter from the cold and the heat; all “good” things, yet not have God the LORD building the house.  These are labors in vanity.  They will profit nothing for eternity.

The Psalmist says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it”.  Jesus said,

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

Kind of makes me wonder if Jesus did not have Psalm 127 in mind as He spoke these words.

Neither, can a guard watch a city effectively without the LORD who keeps it.

Stop trying to build your own life, and turn it over to the LORD.  Start by trusting Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour.  Then, go and feed the hungry, cloth the poor, and call them to repentance in faith of Christ Jesus.

Captivity

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“When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.” Psalm 126:1-2 (KJV)

The verses from Psalms whether written following the Egyptian captivity and the people’s deliverance, or the Babylonian captivity is of little importance.  Zion had been taken captive, and you yourself may be in captivity as I write.

I am a captive.  I will let you know in a moment what I am a captive of.  The people of Zion, Israel, if you will were captive for 70 years in Babylon, and when their deliverance came just as God had said, then, they were rejoicing.  “We were like them that dream” the Psalmist says.

It seemed almost unbelievable.  Are you a captive today.  Does sin hold you captive?  Are you doing things you know to be wrong, and then feel guilt following the act? Maybe no guilt, but you know it is wrong?  You are a captive to your own sins.  It rules you.  It controls you.

There is freedom from sin.  Sin is a horrible master.

I told you moments ago that I am captive.  What am I captive to?  To love, mercy and grace of God shown to me through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Through Him I am free from sins bondage, sins weight, drudgery, guilt, condemnation, and fear.  I am captive to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Son of God, and God the Son.  He set me free.  My mouth is filled with laughter, and my tongue with singing unto Him.

The LORD has done great things for all those who are captive to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unmovable

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“They that trust in the LORD shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.” Psalm 125:1 (KJV)

I will let Charles Spurgeon do the commentary on this verse:

“They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion.” The emphasis lies upon the object of their trust, namely, Jehovah the Lord. What a privilege to be allowed to repose in God! How condescending is Jehovah to become the confidence of his people! To trust elsewhere is vanity; and the more implicit such misplaced trust becomes the more bitter will be the ensuing disappointment; but to trust in the living God is sanctified common sense which needs no excuse, its result shall be its best vindication. There is no conceivable reason why we should not trust in Jehovah, and there is every possible argument for so doing; but, apart from all argument, the end will prove the wisdom of the confidence. The result of faith is not occasional and accidental; its blessing comes, not to some who trust, but to all who trust in the Lord. Trusters in Jehovah shall be as fixed, firm, and stable as the mount where David dwelt; and where the ark abode. To move mount Zion was impossible, the mere supposition was absurd. “Which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.” Zion was the image of eternal steadfastness, – this hill which, according to the Hebrew, “sits to eternity,” neither bowing down nor moving to and fro. Thus doth the trusting worshipper of Jehovah enjoy a restfulness which is the mirror of tranquillity; and this not without cause, for his hope is sure, and of his confidence he can never be ashamed. As the Lord sitteth King for ever, so do his people sit enthroned in perfect peace when their trust in him is firm. This is, and is to be our portion; we are, we have been, we shall be as steadfast as the hill of God. Zion cannot be removed, and does not remove; so the people of God can neither be moved passively nor actively, by force from without or fickleness from within. Faith in God is a settling and establishing virtue; he who by his strength setteth fast the mountains, by that same power stays the hearts of them that trust in him. This steadfastness will endure “for ever,” and we may be assured therefore that no believer shall perish either in life or in death, in time or in eternity. We trust in an eternal God, and our safety shall be eternal.
From the TREASURY OF DAVID e-Sword edition

Put your trust in the Immutable, unmoving, unchanging GOD through His Son Jesus Christ.

Over Our Soul

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“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.” Psalm 124:1-5 (KJV)

The LORD that is Jehovah is on our side when we are overwhelmed; when it seems that life is too much to bear.

When it seems that the world has turned against me, then, I know that the LORD is by me, with me, and in me.  The thing is; I am also on His side.  I cannot defend God; nor does He need or depend on any defense I might have for Him.

Prideful and haughty people may rise against us; the storms and horrible events of life may be kindled against us; the flooding events may overwhelm us; “If it had not been the LORD who was [and is] on our side…”

I Was Glad…

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” Psalm 122:1 (KJV)

To the Israelite the house of God was the Tabernacle in the wilderness during their journey to the Promised Land after deliverance out of Egypt;  it was Shiloh up intil David was king; and after David became king the ark of the covenant was moved to Jerusalem, so that was the house of God.

The “House of God” is the place where God dwells.  In all of God’s Word the plan of God is that He dwell in the hearts of His people.  That was impossible with a holy God.  Yet, God Himself made it possible.  When Jesus Christ walked on earth He was and is the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).  He was without sin in the midst of the sinful, the vile, the corrupt; He remained incorruptible.

Because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ when we trust in Him He comes to live within us in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Those who know Jesus, and are known of Him have only to go to His Word, and hear the Holy Spirit within themselves to worship God.

The follower of Christ still desires to go and meet in places of worship with God’s people.  We call those places “Houses of worship”, even “House of God”; and that is not wrong.  Rest assured that where ever you are as a believer; a follower of Jesus Christ He is there with you.

Like the Psalmist says, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”  Let us always be glad to go into the place of worship.  Like the writer of Hebrews has said,

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

If you missed joining with brothers and sisters in Christ yesterday, or have for several weeks; be sure you commit yourself to renewing that bond next Sunday.

In Distress

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.” Psalm 120:1-2 (KJV)

We all experience distress.  Distress is defined as; “great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble.”  It had the same meaning to the Psalmist; probably David.

Being slandered, falsely accused; we have all had it happen one time or another.  If you have not; then you will.  It is not pleasant.  It can make you want to just curl up in a corner, and never see anyone again.  That is what the culprit who spreads it wants.

Christian, when it happens to you do as David.  Cry unto the LORD.  He will hear you.  Look the enemy, the liar, the culprit in the face; in the midst of others, and make them come clean.

The LORD will hear your cry.  He will deliver you.  Liars, slanderers, can never stand up to the truth.

One thing for certain; Christian, those things best not be coming out of your lips or mouth concerning someone else.  Be an encouragement even to those who might be  your foes, your enemies; but especially to those who are your friends.

In your distress cry unto the LORD.  In your distress praise the LORD.  In your distress stand your ground, and pray for those who offend you.